


A Soul Mate

by DarkAlpha67



Series: Rewritten Stars [1]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Dealing with Steve's reactions to things, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Foster Care, Heartbreak, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, It involves Nahele, M/M, Mention of Past Catherine Rollins/Steve McGarrett, POV Alternating, POV Danny "Danno" Williams, Post-episode scenes, Steve McGarrett-Centric, Trauma, canon divergent after season 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 19:19:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19730143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkAlpha67/pseuds/DarkAlpha67
Summary: Moments post episodes (does Diverge from Canon), wherein Steve and Danny prove inadvertently that they are Soulmates.(I'm not really sure how to summarize  it)





	A Soul Mate

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, everyone. This is my first McDanno fic. It might be slightly out of character, not gonna lie, and there might be a few mistakes, both legal mistakes and canon mistakes, not quite sure. I wrote this with random scenes in mind, kind of like moment's off-screen but also moment's which didn't happen at all, so I'm not really sure how to describe this fic 
> 
> I hope you like it <3
> 
> Don't forget to Spread Love and Not Hate.

_Sometimes you gotta tuck your feelings away until it’s the right time. Like stuffing dollars into a piggy bank for a bike you can’t quite afford. Then when you finally crack open that piggy bank, you’ll find that all this time you haven't been saving for a bike. You’ve really been saving for a Harley._

_\- Lois Lane (Smallville)_

Danny Williams believed in the concept of love. He saw it with his ma and dad. He saw it when his partner back in Jersey met his wife and had witnessed it as they exchanged vows.

When he met Rachel, he thought he’d found it. He remembered thinking: _Ah, this was what everyone made a big deal about._ He’d idiotically kept believing in it when they hit a rough patch, convincing himself that she had to be it for him.

She was the mother of his daughter; how could she not be.

But, sadly, he soon realized that that was all she would ever be to him.

The mother of his daughter, and later his son.

It took moving across the ocean, it took getting shot and letting his clear dislike to be most expressive toward one particular guy.

It took heartbreak for Danny to understand love.

For Steve, love was always a far-fetched ideology he never gave much consideration and value past the comradery with his brothers in the Navy and later the SEAL’s. He knew how dangerous love could be, he saw how vulnerable it made people, he witnessed how it damn near destroyed his dad, so he held back.

When he met Catherine, he was the one who suggested they kept things casual. Sex he could do and give. He could make a women feel good, but not in the way it counted. He knew that. Which was why when she easily agreed to it, pointing out she too needed to focus on her career and that she didn’t have the time or energy for a relationship, Steve happily and wholeheartedly committed himself, so to speak.

He thought he knew what love entailed and the subsequent hole it left in your heart when that person you loved was gone.

He didn’t know how amazing love could be and all it could bring, until he landed in Hawaii and returned home…

*

**_Who doesn’t long for…_ **

1\. Danny: _**Someone Who Stands by You**_

Love was a fickle thing. It was never constant, and it transformed as time went on.

When he landed in Hawaii and suffered through the treatment from the local cops toward him, the _Haole_ stepping on their turf, he repeated to himself, like a mantra of sort, that Grace was worth it. He didn’t complain, or well he did to Meka but only after a few beers, and he sure as hell didn’t allow his hatred of this fucking pineapple infested hellhole to ruin the fact that it brought him Grace.

But it also brought him Steve McGarrett.

The man was like a magnet for shit storms. He attracted bullets like a homing device, and he made Danny’s life an adrenaline infused nightmare. He smirked his way through all of Danny’s rants, which only pissed Danny off more and he treated everything like a joke.

Everything, but Grace.

“Can we go to Uncle Steve, again?” His daughter asked him often whenever he picked her up.

It took a while for Danny to clearly see how much Steve had infiltrated his life but it became alarmingly clear when his daughter, who was often shy and quiet around strangers, practically ran over to Steve one day, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck, her grin revealing her missing tooth. Danny had sat back, watching as Steve closed his eyes, letting loose a little groan as he gushed over how much he’d missed Grace.

“Danno said we can come swim.” Grace said, still embracing Steve.

Technically, Steve said Danny should bring her over. When those blue-green eyes opened and met his over Grace’s shoulder, Danny felt a shift in his gut. A frown tightened Steve’s brows, his ever vigilant eyes picking up on the shift in Danny’s stance but Danny rolled his eyes, mentally and physically dismissing the feeling.

“Well, I got a whole ocean out there waiting for you.” Steve was saying, pulling back and standing up with a small wince. He grinned down at Grace, allowing her small hand to slip in his as she tugged him along, pulling him further into his house.

“Don’t forget, I still gotta tie your hair, Monkey!” Danny yelled after her.

“I know, Danno!” Then. “Do you still think you can convince Danno to let me surf, Uncle Steve? He said over his dead body but Auntie Kono said you can convince him.”

“Oh, she did, huh?” Steve asked, the smugness in his tone evident even to his daughter who grinned up at Steve.

Danny chewed on his lower lip, narrowing his eyes at the secret conspirator-y look those two shared before they both turned around, green-blue eyes all soft and innocent and dark brown eyes wide with excitement.

“It’s not gonna happen, you two.” He told them.

“But Danno!”

“She’ll be safe, Danny.”

“Forget it. You will not, I repeat _not_ , be floating around a little board that offers you zero protection whatsoever. No.” He shook his head and crossed his arms.

Grace pouted but nod all the same, knowing better than to argue with Danny. The day continued with Steve grilling them some steaks, talking about nonsense that would have bothered Danny except it was everything but work, so he allowed it, listening on and added his two cents while keeping an attentive eye on Grace as she jumped around in the water.

He knew she was disappointed that he’d denied her learning to surf but Danny knew how dangerous and unpredictable the ocean could be. He’d witnessed it and he’d be damned if he allowed his baby girl to learn stupid tricks that would only lead her farther out into the sea.

Later, as the sun sunk and turned the Hawaii’s sky into a comforting orange hue, Danny found himself in the kitchen, cleaning up the dirty plates and cups, listening to Grace upstairs as she got out of the shower and into clean clothes. Steve wondered around, tossing random comments out here and there as he cleared up the mess they’d made. He was just packing up the plates when he’d noticed how silent the house had gotten, the only sound being the crashing of waves through the open back door.

He heard hushed voiced and slowly followed after it, his brows pulling together in a furrow when he picked up the sad tone in his daughter’s voice as she said, “But, I promise to be good, Uncle Steve.”

“I know that, Gracie, but you see, Danno worries. You know that he worries, and he just wants to make sure nothing happens to you.” Steve replied.

Danny stopped just outside the entrance that joined the seating area to the kitchen. He leaned against the wall, his ears straining to pick up the conversation happening outside.

“But you and Aunt Kono won’t let anything happen.”

“I know that, too.” Steve agreed. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you out there, Grace but until your dad feels comfortable putting your safety in my hands, I can’t go against him. You know what I mean?”

There was pause and a heavy sigh. “I guess.”

When Steve spoke again, Danny could hear the reassuring and comforting smirk in his tone. “Listen, soon you’ll be old enough and then we can talk to Danno, again. Maybe by then he’ll let you go out there and try and surf with me and Auntie Kono.”

Swallowing around his rising emotions, Danny turned and made his way back to the kitchen. As he stacked up the plates, the conversation he’d just overheard kept replying over and over in his head. He didn’t know what he felt but he knew how relief and grateful he was that Steve had sided with him and had explained himself and Danny’s reasons to Grace.

He and Rachel disagreed on a lot of things and it was often on how to raise Grace. She allowed certain things when Danny was against it. It had put a strain on their already failing marriage, but Danny always knew that ultimately what Rachel wanted she got, so to have someone stand up for his views like that…

He didn’t know what to think or how to feel toward Steve.

As he and Grace got ready to leave for the night, Grace’s eyes drooping as she blinked in a futile attempt to remain awake, Danny, lowering her into the backseat on the car, buckling her in safely, waited for Steve to close the trunk of his car. He waited patiently, standing with his back pressed up against the car door as Steve rounded to stand before him.

“You sure you don’t wanna stay here? I don’t mind.”

“Nah. I need to have her up early for Rachel.” He forced himself to say in a light-hearted manner and to not let his less than positive emotions seep through. Looking over his shoulder and down at his sleeping daughter, Danny felt gratitude running through him. “Listen, Steve.” Danny turned his attention back to Steve, looking and meeting those confused and earnest green-grey eyes. “I heard what you said to Grace— "

Steve’s eyes widened and he spoke over Danny in a rush to explain himself. “Shit, Danny, I’m so sorry if I overstep –“

Danny shook his head, cutting him off, “you didn’t.” Licking his lips, he contemplated how to put this, knowing there was a million ways to say something but only a few to say it just right. Danny needed Steve to know how he felt. “I trust you with my baby girl’s life.” He stated, blue eyes gazing up, certainty clear in his voice. “There isn’t a single person on this earth who I trust more, I mean aside from Rachel, and I heard what you said about me not trusting you, and that isn’t true. I trust you, babe.”

Swallowing thickly, Steve shifted before him. “I get why you don’t want her in the ocean.”

“I know.” Danny gave him a smile. “But you still had my back. And I appreciated it.”

That goofy smile made its appearance and Danny couldn’t help but grin back. “I’ll see you tomorrow, alright.”

Steve nodded, his smile every present on his face as he stepped forward, arms opening. Danny naturally moved into the embrace, wrapping his arms around Steve’s towering frame. He felt a hot breath fan against the bare skin of his neck as Steve exhaled.

They held one another for a moment longer, parting with their usual pat on the back. As Danny drew away, he allowed his hands to trail over the expanse of Steve’s back, moving to his shoulder to give it a squeeze.

Steve’s grin softened into a smile. He took a step back and Danny turned, rounding over to the driver side. He watched Steve as the other man walked toward the front door, stopping just outside to turn and wave to Danny.

Later that night, as Danny laid in his bed, the sheets colder than usual, he recalled the way Steve had spoken to Grace, flashing back on all those times his daughter had grinned and laughed at something Steve said, and the way Danny felt whenever he was around Steve.

He felt… less alone.

He felt, God dare he say, _loved_.

2) Steve: **_Someone to Hold_**

Growing up, Steve always had a role to fulfill.

He was the big brother to Mary.

He was the loving son to his mom.

He was the responsible, driven son to his dad.

All those roles had its one single limitation which had solidified unknowingly into his daily routine of life: the ability to fully expression his emotions. He was not brought up in a loveless environment, on the contrary, he had a happy childhood, but being truthful about his emotion was never a considering factor.

When Steve discovered he liked boys as well as girls, he never told anyone because he saw no reason to. To him, it was a choice (the telling, not the attraction) and he would cross that bridge when he got there.

When his dad sent him away, Steve protested with anger because it was an emotion he understood, but he never cried openly. Emotions were a distraction at best, and his time in the Navy, and later as SEAL desensitized him to the trauma of the world.

He’d lost his mother, so he understood loss, he just didn’t know how to deal with people who’d lost someone.

When Freddie died, and Steve found himself kneeling before his friend’s daughter, he voiced words of sympathy, but he never truly broke down and mourned the loss.

He never understood emotions, until Five-0; until he had a family who counted on him and who he counted on too, a family who loved him and who had his back in way he never thought was possible.

The day Steve found himself chained to a chair and relentless tortured by Wo Fat was the first crack in the previously impenetrable wall. As he broke down before his friends, his family, felt Danny’s hand on the back of his neck grounding him, he felt the strength to hold himself together drain away, the effects amplified by the drugs still coursing through his system.

Now, as tears ran down his cheeks, the thousands of innocent faces staring back at him rushing through his thoughts, Steve reached for his phone without thinking.

He held his breath, praying with all hope that the call would be answered.

On the second ring, a thick voice answered. “H’llo.”

Steve swallowed, his voice hitching and broken. “Danny…”

“Steve. What is it? What’s wrong?”

Ducking his head, Steve ran his fingers through his hair, salty tears running past his lips into his mouth as he gritted his teeth together in an effort to not make any sounds. “Nothing… Nothing is wrong. I just…” He trailed off, not sure what to say or how to say what it.

There was a pause. “Want me to come over?”

The simple request released a wave of emotions, tears of relief spilling down his cheeks as he nodded shakily. “Yeah, yeah.”

Steve could hear sheets rustling on the other side of the phone. “Okay, I’ll be there soon.” More shuffling and then he heard Danny ask in the distance. “You want to stay on the phone til’ I get there?”

Steve sniffed. “No, it’s fine.”

More rustling and then Danny’s voice, clear and nearby, replied. “Okay, I’ll be there soon, babe.”

When they hung up, Steve fell back onto his bed, hands running over his face to wipe away the never ending stream of tears. He bit back the sob which threatened to break free, his chest clenching and his throat contracting as he did so. It felt like hours before he heard the familiar purring of the Camaro as it entered his driveway, heard the way it cut off. He wanted to get up, he knew he should, but all he could do was blink rapidly.

He knew Danny heard the tears in his voice. He knew his partner was aware that Steve had most likely broken down, but still his mind kept reminding him to remain in control, to gather himself and not reveal anything.

Then, Eran’s voice rang through his ears, and Steve felt the disgust within his gut tightening. He had been so close to letting a murder go, letting a child killer leave. His hands shook as he recalled the way he’d tapped up Eran’s leg, comforting him as he wept in fear.

The front door opened, and Danny’s voice echoed through the silent house. “Steve!”

He opened his mouth to reply when he heard his floorboards creek as Danny raced up the stairs, his bedroom door bursting open. Steve’s head lolled to the side, his blurry vision finding Danny’s silhouette in his doorway.

“Steve…”

Danny walked over to him, reaching over to place his gun on Steve’s bedside table. Hands grabbed his arms and he felt his body being lifted off his mattress, his eyes dropping to meet Danny’s concerned blue orbs from where his partner was crouched between Steve’s parted legs.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Hands, warm, soft and gently framed his face and Steve screwed his eyes shut, pressing his lips together. One hand ran over his jaw soothingly, moving to cup the back of his head. “Let’s lay down, okay. You want that?”

Steve didn’t know what he wanted to do, but the second he felt the pressure of Danny’s hands on him vanish, he knew it wasn’t that. Danny, though Steve didn’t know how, seemed to have sensed his distress from the simple thought of any distance between them because he cupped Steve’s face, urging him to look up.

“Shuffle over, okay.” Danny’s hand moved to his shoulder as Steve numbly moved up the bed, his head sinking into the pillow. “I’m gonna take my jeans off, okay.”

Steve nodded.

The hand on his shoulder vanished and his insides tightened. Looking over, Steve latched on to the sight of Danny stripping out of his jeans, forcing his mind to focus on that and only that. Before he knew it, Danny was beside him. Steve rolled over to face the other man, eyes locked on bright blue orbs.

A hand cupped his cheek, his thumb moving back and forth, the pad wettened by Steve’s tears. “Try closing your eyes, okay. I’ll be here.”

Steve swallowed. “I’m sorry for calling you, I—”

“Don’t apologize, babe. Not for this. Never for this.” Danny cut him off gently.

Closing his eyes, Steve sighed. He leaned forward without meaning to, pressing his forehead against Danny’s.

“You cold? Let’s get under the cover’s.” Danny moved swiftly, the father in him surfacing as he managed to get the bed covered over them both with minimal disturbance.

As he made way to get under the blankets with him, Steve found himself speaking, the words leaving him as his mind became numb. “He almost got away, Danny. I helped him, I patched him, I put Odell in the car with him, gave him the gun. I gave him the gun, Danny.”

“Steve.”

But Steve couldn’t stop talking. “I saw the pictures. There were so many pictures, Danny. He was a sick bastard and I almost helped him get away. Those kids, they were so young, they didn’t deserve that, they didn’t deserve---”

“Steve, Steve, shh, shh, I know, I know.” A hand cupped his face and draw in him. Danny moved to lay down, and Steve followed after him, burrowing into the curve of his neck. He felt Danny’s arms wrap around his shoulder, his hand a soothing grip, fingers gently combing through his hair. Steve pressed his mouth against Danny’s shoulder to muffle the sob that wracked through his body.

“Just let it out, Steve. I got you. Just let it out.” Danny whispered into his ear. Steve’s arm, which had wound itself around Danny’s waist tightened. He pressed himself against his partner, and Danny in turn moved to accommodate Steve’s frame against his.

“I got you.”

And Steve believed him.

3) Danny: _**Who knows How to Love You, (Without Being Told)**_

He knew something was wrong the second he read Steve’s text.

_Can you come over?_

Gut twisting dread sunk deep. He had his feet jammed into his shoes, his keys clutched in his hand as he left his house. It was dark out, his car gleaming in the streaks of moonlight which shine down, demanding he hurry up. His wound from the surgery ached at the sudden movement but Danny paid it no mind.

He sped across Honolulu, his mind racing and all he could think of was; _Catherine! Catherine! Catherine!_

A part of him, a part he most vehemently trusted and relied on given it was the piece of himself that wanted to see Steve live another day knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the text had to do with her. Danny had hoped, he prayed, that his talk with Catherine had done his friend some good, that it made her see how lucky she was to be loved by a man like Steve and the power that sort of love had over him.

Love was powerful, and in the wrong hands it could be a deadly weapon. He knew this from experience.

Rachel did a lot of things in the name of love, and someone almost always got hurt because of it.

When he arrived, he parked the car hazardously, vaguely remembering to lock the doors behind him before he bounded up toward Steve’s front door, knocking in a way that mirrored his frantic heart.

“Steve?” He didn’t wait, and instead turned the knob, not at all surprised to find it open. “Steve?”

The house was dark, and deadly silent. The soles of his shoes thumped softly as he padded across the shadowed space, eyes wondering and searching. As he entered the lounge area, he found the hunched over silhouette of Steve and a half empty bottle of Scotch.

“Hey, Steve…” He whispered, closing the distance between them, moving to shift the alcohol away as he took a seat on the small table, knee bumping Steve’s and thigh pressing together. “Hey, look at me, tell me what happened.”

There was a heavy pause, the silence weighed down by labored breathing before Steve croaked out. “She said no.”

 _“She what?”_ Anger, resent and all other negative and hateful emotions coursed through him at the words: she said no… _No_.

A sniff. “She said she didn’t feel fulfilled here, that she wanted to do more, and she couldn’t with me.” Hands lifted and Steve laced his fingers behind his head. “She said _I_ wasn’t enough.”

Danny clenched his jaw, biting back the words his mind wanted nothing more than to scream. He wanted to spew all sorts of hateful remarks about Catherine, but he didn’t, because she was _Catherine_. He couldn’t do that. Just like he could never find it in himself to voice hateful things about Rachel beyond minor things that were spoken in the heat of his anger.

Steve cleared his throat. “She left. Go to help Earthquake victims in Nepal.”

Danny reached out, his hand curling around Steve’s hunched up and tensed shoulder. “I’m sorry, Steve.”

Steve shook his head, his hands dropping, leaving the skin around his neck white with visible finger patterns. Straightening, eyes which were more grey and green than blue, met his and Steve _shrugged_.

“It is what it is.”

He wanted to yell that ‘no, it wasn’t.’ He wanted to call Catherine and demand an explanation, because she had promised, she’d said she wouldn’t hurt him and then a couple hours later she was packing her bags, telling Steve he wasn’t _enough!_

“Thanks for coming.” Steve added. “I didn’t really wanna be alone.”

Danny moved, shifting closer to Steve, giving him the best smile be could muster. Teary eyes, red from crying dancing back and forth. “I’m always going to be here for you, Steve. No matter what.”

What he saw next hurt him more than angered it: _doubt_. Steve doubted him, he truly believed Danny would go back on his word, and why wouldn’t he? All his life Steve had had the most important people in his life prove to him that he was not enough for them. They left him or forced him to leave them.

Leaning forward, Danny cupped the back of Steve’s burning neck, thumb brushing against his hairline in comfort. No matter what he said right now, he knew Steve wouldn’t believe him. Not completely, so instead he decided to prove his promise rather than voice it.

“Wanna finish this bottle and watch a game?” Danny asked.

Steve looked over to the nearing empty bottle of Scotch, eyes contemplating before he shook his head. “Just the game. I don’t want to wake up worse than I feel right now.”

Needing nothing more, Danny reached for the remote and switched on some old game Steve had recorded. He increased the volume and situated himself right next to Steve, kicking up his feet to stretch out. They watched for a while, neither of them saying anything. Every so often, Danny would peak at Steve from the corner of his eye, watching to see if he was awake or asleep, only to see his partner staring blankly at the television screen with glassy eyes.

Danny wasn’t really paying attention, opting to keep the comments about the game to himself. He grunted and groaned in a pure Steve-fashion when one of the players made a clear and frankly completely idiotic move. The more nonverbal sounds he made, the more he felt Steve’s shoulders sink, so Danny made those comments more verbal.

After a while, a heavy weight leaned against his side, a head dropping down onto his shoulder. Danny shifted a bit, enough so he could comfortably rest his own head against Steve’s. A

slightly slurred voice whispered, “Thanks, Danno…” Before evened breaths followed, informing Danny that Steve had fallen asleep.

Later that night, when Danny had managed to cover himself and Steve with a blanket without jostling Steve, thanks to years of fatherhood, he vowed to himself and all celestial beings that existed that he was done letting anyone hurt Steve.

4) Steve: ** _Someone Who Knows You And Chooses You_**

The frantic, rapid pounding on his door jerks him out of his slumber. Steve, his mind flipping like a metaphorical switch, has his gun in one hand and his phone at the ready, finger poised over Danny’s name.

His bare feet barely made a sound as he sprinted downstairs, the knocking getting louder. Steve’s heart clenched in fear, practically hearing the urgency in those knocks, knowing nothing good stood on the other side of the door, until –

“Steve!”

His gun lowered just a bit, his hand working on unlocking the doors. The metal knob in Steve’s tight grip pressed painfully against his palm as he ripped the door open, eyes wide as they fell on teary brown orbs.

“Nahele?”

The next thing Steve noticed was the slowly darkening bruise on the kid’s jaw, the redness surrounding the tissue as it swelled. Steve’s hand dropped, his gun feeling a ton heavier than it ordinarily did. He stepped forward, eyes scanning the area, assessing for any immediate danger before they fell on Nahele.

“Who did this?” The words were forced out his mouth, anger barely contained.

Nahele sniffed, shaking his head in denial. Steve gritted his teeth, taking another cautious step forward, eyes noticing the small black plastic bag in Nahele’s hand. His knuckles weren’t bruised, meaning he didn’t fight back.

“I had nowhere else to do.” Came the despondent and broken whisper.

Steve lifted hand, slowly as so not to frighten the boy. His carded his fingers through Nahele’s hair, feeling grains of sand struck between his strands. He moved just as Nahele did, the plastic bag dropping to the ground, thin arms curling around his waist as Steve’s wrapped around the teenager, drawing him closer, pressing his cheek against the side of his head.

He felt the wetness of Nahele’s tears as it sunk into the material of his vest. He knew who he had to call, knew what he had to do, but right now, all he could do was hold on to Nahele and pray it was enough for now.

*

“Here.” Steve voiced gently, reaching over with an ice bag wrapped in a towel, pressing it gingerly against the bruise.

Nahele was seated on the couch, bend over as though to hide the visible bruise from Steve to protect himself from any consequences he feared were on the way. Placing the glass of water on the table, Steve took a seat on it before Nahele, first aid kit in hand.

“There other injuries?”

Nahele shook his head.

“You sure? I don’t want you to get an infection, kid.” Steve encouraged gently.

Nahele paused, swallowed thickly. “I – my ribs hurt a little, but they aren’t broken.”

Steve forced down the fury burning and bubbling up within him, like a once dormant volcano, woken and ready to wreck-havoc on the world… on the people who’d hurt Nahele.

Steve inhaled, eyes softening as he said. “Can you tell me who did this?”

Nahele said nothing.

"They don’t have to know it was you who told me, but I can’t let them get away with this.”

Broken brown eyes flickered up. “Kaholo.”

"Kaholo… Your foster father?” Steve questioned in a lower tone.

Nahele ducked his head, nodding. Steve forced himself to remain in control, knowing that any sign of outward anger would do Nahele and himself no good. Breathing out softly, Steve reached over to pull Nahele in for a hug, feeling the cold press of his cheek as he rested it against Steve’s shoulder.

Steve flashed back to the last time he’d held Nahele like this… where he promised him that he had a family, that he wasn’t alone. Steve had broken his promise. He had failed Nahele.

“It’s okay.” He found himself whispering, hearing the words echo through his head, recognising Danny’s voice as Steve spoke. “You’re safe here, I’m not gonna let anything happen to you. Not again.”

Silence hovered over the house, suffocating and assertive, demanding Steve do something about this now. As he stood outside Grace’s bedroom, watching with haunting and raging eyes as Nahele laid curled up on the bed, Steve softly closed the door, mind racing.

His phone was in his hand before he knew, finger pressing the call button.

Three rings later and Danny answered. “Steve?”

“I need your help. It’s Nahele.”

*

The next morning, Danny arrived earlier than usual, helping Steve prepare a breakfast while they waited for Nahele to wake up. As Danny stirs the eggs in the pan, Steve got to working on the bacon, knowing Danny refused to eat his morning eggs without some bacon as he had passionately informed Steve one stupid morning four years ago.

“Do you know what you’re gonna do?”

Steve clenched his jaw as he turned over the bacon. “You mean other than find the son of bitch and put a bullet in him?”

A heavy pause fell between them. He felt Danny, more than heard him, as the other man left the eggs in the pan and turned to Steve. A warm hand touched his arm in comfort and support. Sighing, Steve dropped the fork on the counter, hearing it clutter around.

“I don’t know what to do, Danny. I already called the Governor, reported the family. I already wrote a report, but I have to talk to Nahele before I can do anything about it.”

Danny exhaled through his nose, reaching over to turn off the stove. Then, he turned to Steve, hand rubbing up and down, drawing Steve’s attention away from the sizzling bacon and over to those calm blue eyes.

“What about what we discussed last month?”

“You mean…” Steve frowned. “I can’t, Danny. You said I wasn’t stable enough—”

Danny cut him off. “No, I said you had to think about your life and the lack of certainty you can offer him if you continue doing the insane crap you do on a daily basis. That can easily change if you just followed normal police protocol. You remember what that is, right?”

Steve scoffed out a small laugh, which faded a mere second later. “Danny, I don’t think I can be a good father to him.” Steve confessed, his throat burning as though the very words were inflicting the pain.

“You don’t think…” Danny’s face scrunched up as though Steve had just confessed to being able to walk through fire. “Steve, you will be an incredible father. Okay. You would, you know how I know, because I see all the time, almost every day when you are around my kids. I see it when I pick Gracie up and the second thing outta her mouth is ‘are you going to Uncle Steve, later?’ I see it in the way you spend the whole damn day working with Grace to make sure her room here was perfect. I saw it when you helped build the bed for Charlie, how you loved him and accepted him the same way you did Grace. How at the end of the day, he was called you Uncle Steve and me ‘Danno’ like he’s been doing it for years. I saw it when Grace needed me and I wouldn’t be there, so you stepped up. I saw it when you held Charlie as he coughed his fucking lungs up last month while I was on the phone yelling at the doctor. I saw the fear in your eyes when Grace went missing, when Charlie was sick and now with Nahele. I know that look because I have that exact same look.”

Danny lifted his hand, cupping Steve’s neck, thumb brushing and tracing Steve’s jaw line. “You already are a father, babe. You just never had the title.”

Blinking back the emotions swarming within him, Steve found himself gravitating toward Danny, leaning down to press his lips gently against Danny’s. His partner didn’t flinch at the touch. Instead he sighed softly through his nose, the breath tickling Steve’s cheek. Their lips moved, and Steve felt Danny’s fingers dig into the meat of his neck. They parted like last time, a little out of breath.

Their second kiss.

It mirrored their first one, when Danny had stayed over one night for some beers and a movie, Die Hard 4. Danny had gone on a rant about how he hoped Grace never forgot him or ended up hating him. But then the alcohol had started kicking in, and Steve had gone on to explain to Danny just how inconceivable the very idea was. When he was done, Danny had stared at him with burning blues and a moment later, their mouths were pressed against each other’s, lips moving and chests expanding as they sighed and breathed one another in.

They never spoke about it again, but neither of them pretending it never happened.

That was two months ago.

“Steve.” Danny muttered against his lips, drawing away from the kiss to stare at Steve with imploring eyes. “Don’t doubt yourself about this, alright. Not this.” The hand which had been on his neck slide up to his jaw. “And if you want, just say the word, and I’ll be there, babe. Every step of the way.”

A lump formed in his throat, burning with fear and uncertainty. He pressed his forehead against Danny’s hairline, closing his eyes as he inhaled, trying to gather himself. When the pressure in his chest faded into a dull ache, he opened his eyes and pulled away.

“Thanks, Danno.” He uttered softly.

Danny smiled at him.

They drew away from one another when they heard movement upstairs, moving around the kitchen with ease as they got breakfast ready. Danny filled the silence with random comments here and there, mentioning Grace wanted to have a sleep over with Samantha, and Charlie wanted a boys night.

“Isn’t it Stan’s night with him?”

Danny nodded. “It was but something came up. So he called, asked if Charlie could spend the night with me.”

Steve wondered when their lives had made a complete shift, where _Stan_ called _Danny_ directly to ask about Charlie, no longer using Rachel as a go-between. Their trust in the woman was shaken, and rightfully so. It had taken everything in Danny to not hold Charlie against Rachel, and instead he found a way to ensure the kid’s life wasn’t completely disrupted.

 _The solution_ : Stan and Danny worked together, and they helped out where they could. Stan had pleaded with Danny not to take Charlie away from him, not yet at least. Steve knew some part of Stan didn’t plan to stick around, not completely but until then he would still be ‘daddy’, until Charlie was old enough to understand everything, and Danny was “Danno”.

“How are you dealing with that?” Steve asked, hearing the sound of the toilet flushing upstairs.

Danny shrugged, moving to pull out three plates. “It is what it is. I told Stan I wanted Charlie to know I was his dad, and we; me, him and Rachel, are easing him into it.”

“How’s Grace handling it? Better?” Steve asked.

He remembered how angry Grace had been with Rachel, demanding to spend the week with Danny. Danny had come over with a steaming Gracie the next day and Steve has taken her out for a jog to cool her down. It was there where she unleashed all her angry and feelings of betrayal. He held her while she broke down in his arms, gently hushing her as she sobbed into his chest.

“She’s on speaking terms with Rachel.”

Steve nodded, smiling at Danny. Grace wasn’t a vengeful person and he knew she wouldn’t remain angry at Rachel for too long. There was shuffling down the stairs and Steve and Danny looked over in time to see Nahele slowly inching into the kitchen.

“Morning, Detective Williams.”

“Danny, kid.” Came the automatic response.

Nahele gave Danny a small, hesitant smile.

“You ready for breakfast?” Danny asked conversationally.

“Please.”

Neither Danny nor Steve mentioned the bruise or last night as they ate. Instead, Danny casually asked if Nahele could maybe help out on Saturday with the setting up of the grill. He went on to say he understood Nahele probably wanted to swim but he promised it wouldn’t take long, effectively ensuring Nahele knew he was invited too without any room for doubt.

“Sure, Dect—Danny.” He said, working his mouth around the foreign address.

When they were done, Danny nodded to Nahele, subtly indicating to Steve that it was time. “I’ll wash up.” He said as he stood up, gathering all their plates.

As Steve steered Nahele over to the couch, he started with the issue of Nahele wanting to report the abuse. He knew as a law enforcement, he could simply report it without any problems, but he would never take away Nahele’s choice. Nahele, reluctantly, agreed to accompany Steve to Honolulu PD, where they will contact his case worker.

“What’ll happened after?”

Steve swallowed, his eyes flickering up and over in the direction of the kitchen. A sudden need to have Danny by his side erupted within him, but Steve smothered it down, knowing he had to do this alone.

“Yeah, that… I have a suggestion.” Steve took a deep breath, turning to Nahele, meeting this defensive brown eyes. That look solidified Steve’s resolve. “I was wondering how you’d feel if I fostered you?”

Eyebrows shot up and brown eyes widened.

Steve waited, his breathe lodged in his chest. He watched with apprehension as Nahele’s eyes danced back and forth, his mind no doubt racing.

“You want to foster –“ Just then, he cut himself as though in fear of finishing the sentence.

Steve nodded, pressing his palms against each other, rubbing them together. “A couple of months ago, I got myself registered. I have everything sorted, with the help of the Governor and Five – 0, but ultimately its up to you, kiddo.”

“I can come live here?” There was a crack in Nahele’s voice.

Steve nodded. He blinked and a body rocketed off the couch and onto him, arms too thin for his liking wrapped around his neck. He felt Nahele exhale shakily, felt the way his shoulders tensed up as if he was holding back somehow. Steve returned the embrace with just as much strength, moving a hand to cup the back of Nahele’s head.

“That a yes?” He joked, but the serious tone still bled through.

Nahele’s grip tightened and Steve felt his head move up and down in a firm nod. Movement from the corner of his eyes had him looking to the left to see proud blue eyes staring back at him, Danny’s lips parted in soft yet loving smile.

*

It was hard work, with Steve having to do some construction work on his place to make it more liveable for Nahele and Grace, and now Charlie too. It passed the home inspection, with one or two recommendation, but a kind and gentle encouragement that he was on the right track.

Steve was forced to clear out his dad’s room, and, through Danny and Mary’s encouragement, found himself moving into it, with his ohana coming over to help move his newly purchased things into it (“you are not going to move all your old stuff in there, pick something new, Steven.” “Danny—” “No, new start means new beginning therefore, nothing from the past”). Danny was right, of course, but that didn’t stop Steve from still arguing his point.

They painted Nahele’s room a coral green and went with a similar theme for the rest of the room. Eric, being the little shit that he was, convinced Grace and Nahele to paint “Five-O” right in the centre of the wall, and with the help of Kono and Chin, they had surrounded it with something that resembled a police badge.

“This way you can always remember you’re Ohana.” Steve heard Grace whispered.

“I’m not—”

“Shut up, yes you are.”

He thought he heard Erica suggesting that Nahele should have everyone sign their names on the wall. He prayed he misheard.

Not that he minded, because he’d do just about anything to make sure Nahele knew he was family… and not just that but that he was Steve’s family.

His… son.

5) Steve: **_A Soul Mate_**

A gentle kiss against his lips awoke him, soft pillows grazing his cheeks to peck both sides, drifting to the right ear. “Wake up, babe.”

“Mmm.” Steve hummed, sleepily turning his head to the side, the tip of his nose brushing against a prickly cheek. “D’nno…”

“Ooof babe, you gotta brush your teeth.” Steve moved blindly around, searching but Danny drew back. “Nope, no kissing. Not until your breath is minty-fresh.”

Steve grumbled, pealing his eyes open to meet sparkling blue eyes. “I’ve kissed you with morning breath before.”

Danny didn’t budge an inch. “That’s not my problem, you’re an animal.” A soft grin spread across his face. “Besides, you really want to start our anniversary with pungent breaths.”

“Yes.” Steve answered seriously, his lips spreading into a goofy grin which only widened when a soft chuckle escaped Danny as he gave in and leaned down. His smile made it damn-near impossible to kiss probably, leaving their kiss sweet and chaste but it made Steve all warm and giddy inside – Not, that would ever tell Danny that.

“Get up, and shower—”

There was crash downstairs. “Nahele!” he heard Grace’s voice drift up.

“Don’t make noises, you guys.” Charlie advised – very loudly.

Blue eyes looked down and Danny grinned. “They’ve been at it for an hour.”

“At _what_?”

Danny hummed in thought, lowering himself onto his elbow, still hovering over Steve who shifted to lay completely on his back, lifting his arm to run his hand through his messy hair.

“I think they think they’re making us a surprise breakfast. I don’t know. So far I’ve heard Grace complain about wet pancakes and Nahele offering Charlie juice to shut him up.”

His heart turned to goo and his grin revealed just that. Two years and everything about his life was altered that Steve found it difficult to image what his life was like before Danny and the kids. Sure, he knew how it was, and reminded himself of it on particularly hard days that he should be so damn grateful and appreciative of every second he spend waking up to the sight of Danny passed out on his bed, and the sound of Nahele moving around in the shower, and the sound of the kids giggling and laughing in the afternoons.

“You think we should wait it out, scout their next move or head down to assess the situation?” He asked, his voice clearing up as sleep gave way for wakefulness.

“Scout their next move or assess the situation?” Danny repeated, Steve’s favourite ‘What is the matter with you’ frown etched across his face. It should not be confused with his “What _the hell_ is the matter with you’ frown which was often reserved for work and was more tense that the one currently staring down at him. “They’re our kids, you freak. Not terrorist.”

Just then, another crash and a “Nah-la” from Charlie. He couldn’t yet pronounce Nahele’s name properly and switched from “Brah” (Chin, Kono and Grace’s doing) to ‘Nah-la’ given the situation.

“Forget it, guys, they’re probably awake, right now. Forget it. Charlie go tell them to come down.” Grace was saying, sounding exasperated and so much like Danny.

Blue eyes met his. “Wanna pretend to sleep?”

In no time, Danny and Steve were arranged in their usual “big spoon-little spoon” (Don’t call it that, Steven) as they listened to careful steps and their door slowly creaking open. More tiny footsteps, soft and slightly muffled by socks, Steve had to guess. He felt Danny’s attempt to take measured breaths, his back tense against Steve’s bare chest as he slowly exhaled.

“Daddy… Uncle Stevie. You up?”

Steve smothered his laughter and continued to pretend.

“Daddy… We got you pancakes and juice.” There was a pause and Steve took the risk to peak out from between his eyelids to see a blurred out little boy poking Danny in the cheek. “Uncle Stevie.” Charlie continued to whisper.

Letting out a groan, Danny pressed back against Steve who followed his lead, exaggerating his sudden arousal from sleep.

“Hey, buddy. What you doing up?” Danny asked, his voice deep.

Steve cracked open his eyes, meeting Charlie’s happy grin. “Gracie say I have to get you up and downstairs for food. Morning, Uncle Stevie.”

“For food, huh?”

“Morning, buddy.”

“Hmhmm… you gotta come. No more playing Octopus with Uncle Steve.”

‘Playing Octopus’ was what Danny called it when Charlie walked in on Steve and Danny in a heated make out session one night because he couldn’t sleep. Now, whenever Charlie saw Steve and Danny cuddling, he called it “playing Octopus”.

“But Uncle Steve is so warm.” Danny said.

Charlie giggled. “You come downstairs.”

“Argh, okay, but only ‘cause you asked me. Hear that, Steve? Charlie wants us to come downstairs.”

“Yeah, I heard.” Steve grinned over, loosening his arm from around Danny as the other man rolled out of bed, lifting Charlie up to place him on Steve.

“You tell Uncle Steve his breath stinks.”

Charlie giggled, leaning away from Steve with a wrinkled-up nose. “No.”

“Did you make me and Danno breakfast?” Steve secured Charlie in his arms and he shuffled around, sitting upright against the headboard of his bed, watching from the corner of his eye as Danny pulled on a shirt, bend down once more to pluck up Steve’s. When the material fell over his face, Charlie lose another bout of giggles.

“Yeah, me and Gracie and Nah-lie”.

Steve smiled sweetly at the kid before him. He recalled the day Grace had explained for Charlie that Steve and “Nah-la” were a part of the family now so they had to have similar names as Danny, Gracie and Charlie. So, the kid had started calling “Nah-la” “Nah-lie” and Steve “Stevie”. It wasn’t always and he reverted to their names most of the time, but when he felt comfortable, he referred to them as such.

And he thought he couldn’t feel more loved than he already did.

“Okay, lets head down and see what our kids have make us.”

 _Our kids_ … Steve knew he wasn’t referring to it as Nahele being Steve’s and Grace and Charlie being his, no he meant Nahele, Grace and Charlie were _their_ kids.

Once in his shirt, Steve stood up, lifting Charlie up and onto his hip, ignoring Danny’s fond exasperations as they exited the bedroom, following the smell of melted butter, pancakes, freshly brewed coffee, a touch of salt air from the morning ocean breeze and… was that bacon?

As they drew near, Charlie giggled in his barely contained excitement, his laughter exploding when Danny and Steve stepped over the threshold and entered the eating area to a warm and cheery “Surprise!” from Grace and Nahele.

“Oh wow, you guys!” Steve gushed over the careful placements and the small flower which sat in the centre of the table and Danny mimicked him with “is this for us?”

They clearly needed to work on their acting because two frighteningly identity frowns appeared on Grace and Nahele’s face. “You guys heard us, didn’t you?”

Danny met his eyes, turned to the kids with an open mouth but Steve cut him off. “Actually, Charlie told us you made us breakfast.”

“Charlie!” Grace exclaimed.

“What? You said to go get them.”

Grace rolled her eyes. “Yeah, downstairs, not tell them there was food waiting.”

“Oh.” Charlie shrugged. “Okay, next time I won’t tell.”

Danny stepped in before Grace could say anything, moving around the table to stand between the kids and Steve ached at the sight of Grace who once reached Danny’s waist but now almost surpassed him in height.

“It doesn’t matter, this was still a wonderful surprise. Thank you, guys, so much.” He wrapped his arms around Grace’s shoulder and Nahele’s back, turning his head to kiss their temples, keeping the grumbling to a minimum even when Nahele had to duck his head so Danny could reach him. Steve did the same with Charlie, moving around to repeat the action with his other two kids.

“Yeah, this is amazing.” Steve smiled at them all brightly, returning Charlie’s excited hug when the kid turned in his arms.

“Well, you guys finally made it official exactly two years ago and, seeing as we couldn’t do anything last year for reasons I refuse to think about, we figured we could spoil you guys before…” Her face made a disgusted expression which only worsened when Nahele added:

“You two spoil each other.”

Grace was too busy punching Nahele’s arm lightly to catch Danny saucy wink and Steve’s dirty smirk.

“Hey, no hitting.” Steve and Danny spoke up.

“Whatever… Let’s eat.” Grace announced, clapping her hands.

“So, this isn’t just for us? You made yourselves pancakes and bacon too?”

“Celebrations are better with family, Danno.” Grace commented off-offhandedly, moving to her spot.

“Yeah, Danno.” Nahele said, slipping up like he’s been doing for the past few months.

Neither Danny nor Steve mentioned or acted on it so not to put him in the spotlight, taking their spots on one end, leaving Charlie to sit at the ‘head’ of a very small table. Seriously, it was so small, Steve had had the misfortune of bumping knee’s with Grace when they first started eating together like this.

Danny had suggested a bigger table, but Steve declined. He loved the intimacy the table provided, it emphasized the family he’d gained, and it brought to the light the love they all had for each other. However, mismatched it may appear to the outside world, with Charlie having two dad’s and another who visits often, Nahele being Steve’s foster son (soon to be adopted by Steve and Danny once Nahele’s father gives up his parental rights per Nahele’s pleading request) and Grace being Steve’s first daughter (in years, not age or due to gender) and Danny’s baby girl, they were all family.

The light of the sun burning bright and high shone down on his black ceramic wedding ring, the words “I picked you” on Danny’s ring and “I love you” on Steve’s. No one but them knew about the engravings.

Two years.

As he watched the smiling faces of his family as they joked and laughed, sharing stories about something they forget to mention last night, Steve happily slipped his arm around Danny’s shoulders, hand coming to rest by his neck where Steve was free to stroke any part of Danny’s body, namely his ear.

When Danny’s pancakes were finished, he slipped a hand over Steve’s thigh, rubbing up and down as he took a sip of his coffee. The touch wasn’t sexual by any means, it was comforting and loving.

Grace was about to help Charlie with his strawberry’s when Steve’s phone rang from the kitchen. Standing up, Steve headed over, messing up Charlie’s blond strands on his way.

He returned a few minutes later, his expression grim.

“Let me guess, we got a case.” Danny voiced, his tone a touch irritated.

Steve nodded. “Chin apologized profusely.”

Grace shot them both sympathetic look. “Sorry, guys.”

Danny shrugged. “Like us celebrating our Anniversary was gonna stop the criminals. Help me wash up, Grace. Steve, get Charlie ready. Nahele, you still got sand in your hair, buddy. Let’s move it, chop-chop.”

Steve grinned as he grabbed Charlie’s sticky hand once he’s hopped down from his chair, pausing to press a sweet, maple syrup flavored kiss on Danny’s lips on his way to the stairs. “Love you.”

Danny shot him a smile as he maneuvers around Steve. “Love you too, babe.” He returned over his shoulder, walking away with a small spring in his step. Grace laughed at Nahele who asked why she didn’t tell him about the sand and Charlie was busy explained the cool outfit he was gonna wear today, to pay much attention to the utterly sappy expression on Steve’s face

 _He found it_ , he thought as he helped Charlie rinse his mouth, toothpaste still smeared on his right cheek, laughter and chatter echoing around his home.

He found the meaning of love.

**Author's Note:**

> Fic inspired by Soulmates by Natasha Bedingfield.


End file.
